Mississippi River High: “Almost Heaven: The Songs of John Denver,” at the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre through August 10

The Clinton Area Showboat Theatre closes out its 2025 season with a gorgeously sung tribute in director Amy Fritsche's Almost Heaven: The Songs of John Denver. What this revue by Harold Thau (who's credited for its “original concept”) is lacking in heart is more than made up by the live music played by the onstage actors, all of whom make Denver’s music ring.

I should begin by checking my baggage at the door: I grew up in a John Denver household. My parents love Denver, they were always playing Denver, and they still make their annual pilgrimage to Aspen, Colorado, to see the remaining members of Denver’s band perform his songs. I wish I could've taken my mom with me to see Thursday’s Almost Heaven performance, because she would've loved it, while also patching the holes in my memory regarding his life events. And I promise that really kind words lie ahead … but I do need to unload my burden first.

I have attended many jukebox musicals over the years, and have never seen a show that appears so disinterested in its own star. While John Denver certainly didn’t lead the type of life you might associate with a popular musician, his greatest scandals being a couple of DUIs and a divorce, that does not mean he led a life not worth examining, and I'd be shocked if there were even 20 lines of dialogue throughout Almost Heaven's 90-minute runtime (presented with no intermission).

At the start, we’re introduced to John, played here – and with a strikingly strong resemblance to the singer – by Colton Sims. He gives us a folksy “I like to let the music speak for itself,” and then he and the ensemble proceed to perform nearly two dozen Denver songs for the rest of the show. The track list isn’t organized chronologically, or even emotionally; we simply jump from song to song with little real justification for why each one is happening. There is a brief mention of his first wife and the fallout from his divorce, but as an audience, we never catch a glimpse into how that chapter of his life informed Denver's music or songwriting.

Before the show, I didn’t look at the program's song list, because I wanted to be surprised by what tune came when and in what order. One by one, all the hits played, and after some time, I sat there in the dark thinking, “Well, surely this is the finale.” Yet it never was. At a certain point, all of the songs I previously knew had been performed. And then came “Yellowstone,” a song I had never heard before … and after it, the show was over. Why was this the Almost Heaven closer, and why had I – someone raised by John Denver superfans – never heard it? Because it was the last song John Denver wrote before he died in that tragic plane accident, and he never had the chance to record it. This is never alluded to in the show. Not a line, not a hint – nothing. But it probably would've made for a really emotional moment had we discovered this factoid in the show, and not, like some of us, via a Google search after driving home. Thanks a lot, Mr. Thau.

Okay. So that’s out of my system. Onward!

Fritsche's cast is splendid, With Sims joined by Charlotte Kunesh, Jesse Wilkerson, Riley Francis, Elisa Carlson, and Ryan Scoble (music director Connor Crotzer Scartascini serves as accompanist), this ensemble of six plays instruments live while singing ... and when I tell you they sound amazing, I mean it. The Clinton Showboat continually impresses me with what I believe is the most luscious-sounding music of any theatre in the Reader’s reviewing circuit, and there's some a cappella harmonizing in Almost Heaven that I swear constitutes some of the best singing I’ve ever heard. Kudos to Scartascini for an ovation-worthy job; I never knew I needed a barbershop-sextet rendition of “Grandma’s Feather Bed,” but I’m so glad I got one. While everyone sounds and plays great, I do want to especially laud Carlson, whose voice seems especially built for this genre of music, and who delivers some evocative fiddle playing.

Meanwhile, the technical elements shine. Emma McCalla's sound design and mix admittedly started out a little rocky on Thursday, but it quickly found its stride, and the live music was ultimately balanced exceptionally well. The lights, their design by James Kolditz, are also gorgeous and wonderfully accentuate the feeling of each song being played, while Jess Ford's scenic design is homey and inviting, and employs the Showboat’s intimate space well. My only tech gripe lied with the back-wall projections, which were partly obstructed by the set and further obstructed by the shadows cast by said set, with the remaining visible real estate being rather confined and narrow.

Regardless, if you’re a John Denver fan, do not miss Almost Heaven. If you’re not a Denver fan but do enjoy folk music, this is also the production for you. And if you generally prefer your jukebox musicals to come with lots of jukebox and almost no (scripted) musical, you’ll definitely find plenty to enjoy.

Almost Heaven: The Songs of John Denver runs at the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre (311 Riverview Drive, Clinton IA) through August 10, and more information and tickets are available by calling (563)242-6760 and visiting ClintonShowboat.org.